Max Fried’s Road to Recovery
Max Fried is set to pitch another simulated game at the stadium on Sunday as he works toward a comeback from a bruised left elbow that has kept him off the mound since mid-May.
This marks another progress point for the left-handed pitcher, who is projected to need around a month to find his place back in the Yankees’ somewhat shaky rotation.
Both Fried and the Yankees are feeling optimistic about his recovery. On Saturday, Fried mentioned that he has made several adjustments to his mechanics to help prevent further injury.
After participating in live batting practice, he expressed feeling, “totally normal. I feel healthy. I wish I could just snap my fingers and get back out there, but it’s a process to grow as a starting pitcher. I’d prefer to be back soon if possible.”
With Carlos Rodon also sidelined due to left elbow inflammation, Fried’s return is becoming increasingly essential for the team.
At this stage, Fried is focusing primarily on building up his pitching intensity.
In his last simulated game, he threw 28 pitches over two innings, but for Sunday, he plans to increase that to about 35 pitches.
If all goes well during this outing, the possibility of a rehab assignment in the minors could come up for discussion. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted they’ll need to assess how much they want Fried to pitch before bringing him back to the Bronx.
“When do we take him?” Boone asked. “Is it after 60 pitches, or maybe 75 to 80? We’ll have these conversations in the coming weeks as he continues to progress. He looks and feels really good. He looks like Max Fried.”
Boone mentioned that it might take “several weeks” before Fried is realistically back in action.
“This kind of injury requires caution,” Fried said. “If you rush it, there’s a risk of causing fractures.”
He also shared that he felt “out of sync mechanically for much of the year,” but now he believes he’s “more balanced” and timely.
The Yankees have been hoping for a fully fit rotation throughout the season, and Fried aims to contribute as soon as he returns.
With Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon back from the injured list, there have been questions regarding Anthony Volpe’s presence in the lineup over Jose Caballero.
Volpe took Caballero’s spot on Saturday, as Boone indicated, “Both are available to play.”
Additionally, Boone mentioned that there was considerable dialogue surrounding the decision to keep Spencer Jones on the roster before he was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday to accommodate Saturday’s spot starter, Brendan Beck.
Boone feels that Jones will gain from regular play in the minors and praised Max Schumann for his versatility and performance after hitting a home run and reaching base four times on Saturday.
Grisham noted that Boone initially intended to rest, but he ended up in the lineup as designated hitter. Boone added that the Twins were supposed to start a left-hander but switched to righty Zebby Matthews.
Grisham ended up going 0-for-2 before being replaced by pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt in the sixth inning.
Goldschmidt had a tough time as well, hitting with the bases loaded and extending his hitless streak to 0 for 21.
The Yankees’ pitching staff allowed a season-high six home runs during the game. Both teams donned Fourth of July-themed hats and jerseys, although the red, white, and blue numbers on the Yankees’ uniforms were quite hard to see. Home plate umpire James Hoy had a challenging day as the initial five calls he made were all overturned by the automated ball-strike system.
